--- title: Kidney disease may be connected to nitrates in drinking water description: Elevated levels of nitrates in drinking water could be linked to kidney disease in some West Australian towns, an expert warns. --- [![Indigo by AWA logo](https://www.awa.asn.au/hs-fs/hubfs/AWA-Website/Logos/Indigo_colour.png?height=24&name=Indigo_colour.png)](https://indigo.awa.asn.au/) [![Ozwater logo](https://www.awa.asn.au/hs-fs/hubfs/AWA-Website/Logos/Ozwater.png?height=24&name=Ozwater.png)](https://www.ozwater.org/) [![Careers in Water logo](https://www.awa.asn.au/hs-fs/hubfs/AWA-Website/Logos/Careers%20in%20Water_colour.png?height=24&name=Careers%20in%20Water_colour.png)](https://www.careersinwater.com.au/) [![NWW logo](https://www.awa.asn.au/hs-fs/hubfs/AWA-Website/Logos/NWW.png?height=24&name=NWW.png)](https://www.nationalwaterweek.org/) - [Join ![user icon](https://www.awa.asn.au/hubfs/website-assets-2021/icons/awa-nav-user-icon.svg "user icon")](https://www.awa.asn.au/new-registration) - [Member Hub ![user icon](https://www.awa.asn.au/hubfs/website-assets-2021/icons/awa-nav-locked-icon.svg "user icon")](https://memberhub.awa.asn.au) - 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Chief investigator for the Western Desert Kidney Health Project Dr Christine Jeffries-Stokes [told the ABC](http://stfi.re/jllybzr) a surprising number of people she studied had an elevated albumin-creatinine ratio in their urine, which indicated kidney damage. "We found that the risk factors for kidney disease and diabetes – that is, protein leaking in your urine, blood in your urine, blood pressure problems and the early signs of diabetes – were actually a problem for everybody, much more common in the non-Aboriginal community than we expected," she said. The three-year study of more than 1000 people found just in excess of one third of Indigenous participants, and a quarter of non-Indigenous, had an elevated albumin-creatinine ratio. “[This] suggested that environmental factors or exposures probably were more significant than we had thought,” Jeffries-Stokes said. "So then we went looking for what those factors might be and obviously lack of access to fresh food is a problem for everyone and exercise opportunities are a problem for everyone, but we also found that the water quality probably is a significant factor as well." The study aimed to determine the prevalence of type-2 diabetes and end-stage renal disease, and was conducted across five Indigenous communities and five towns in WA's Goldfields and the Western Desert regions. Two of the communities studied had more than 50mg/L of nitrate in their drinking water – more than double the recommended limit for adults. The finding comes after the state Auditor General tabled a [report](http://stfi.re/eyyledn) which found unsafe levels of nitrates or uranium contamination in the water supply of one in five communities under the [Remote Area Essential Services Program](http://stfi.re/xrrobdg). 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